Serpent's Skin

Chapter Four

Chapter Four: Boyfriend?

"Oh, um okay." I said, surprised at the sudden change of topic.
"You first." Jughead said looking quickly away from me and towards the kitchen.
"Okay, what's your name" I asked, unable to come up with an actual question.
"Really? What type of question is that? You already know my name, Cooper."He said shooting me a smile.
"You're real name." I said, rolling my eyes. "Ronnie told me once that your real name was embarrassing to say the least, so tell me." I said, remembering when Veronica was drunk at a party once and I had to babysit her and hold off all of the potential rapists and psychos.
"I'm going to kill her," he grumbled.
I looked at him expectantly, with a sweet smile.
"You little...fine. My name is-" he started before being interrupted by a waitress setting down our food.
She turned towards Jughead and leaned against the table, jutting her chest out with a seductive smile on her face.
"Hey Big Boy," she purred.
Jughead looked at me, puzzled.
I tried to contain my laughter, but failed and let out a few giggles. The girl snapped her head toward me, eyes filled with anger.
"Yes?" She asked.
"Oh, nothing. It's just that you're hitting on my... boyfriend." I said, grabbing his hand. She looked back and forth between Jughead and I before muttering a squeaked apology and rushing off towards the kitchen.
"So...I'm you're boyfriend?" He asked, smirking.
"You said it first, and I was trying to get her to go away. Don't let it go to your head." I said rolling my eyes, before snatching my hand away from his.
"Why did you tell Pop that, anyways?"  I asked, munching on a fry.
"Nope! It's my turn to ask the question." Jughead said, before biting into his burger.
"What? You didn't even answer my question in the first place, Jug!" I argued.
He looked at me for a moment before answering, "Fine, but you can't laugh."
"Okay, okay I promise." I said, saying that last part sarcastically.
Jughead mumbled something.
"What?" I asked.
"I said my name is Forsythe Pendleton Jones III." He said, his small smirk off his face.
I tried to contain my laughter, I truly did, but I failed miserably and bursted with laughter.
"Oh my god. It really is that bad!" I said, fake-mocked Jughead.
"Yeah, yeah."
"Okay, you're turn now." I said, shooting him a friendly smile.
"Um, what's your favorite hobby?"
"Writing."
"Should've seen that one coming." He chuckled.
"Favorite movie?" I asked.
"Rebel with a Cause." He answered immediately, looking at me. When he stared at me with his green eyes piercing mine, his hair pulled back into his beanie except for one unruly strand on his forehead I shivered. I fucking shivered.
"Oh, are you cold?" He asked.
"Is that your question?" I asked sarcastically.
"Yep."
"Um, a little." I lied, blushing.
He slid off his leather jacket before standing up.
"Woah, what you doing there Jug?" I asked awkwardly.
"Relax Betts," He said chuckling. "It's just a jacket. As a sign of friendship and a truce maybe?" He said, sliding it around my shoulders.
"Oh, yeah. A-a sign of friendship..." I said, my voice coming out strangled. I cleared my throat and said, "My turn. Why'd you tell Pop we were dating?"
"Easy. Free food." He said, eyeing my burger that I had stopped eating halfway through.
I sighed before sliding the burger over.
"You can have it."
He quickly snatched it and shoved a good part of it in his mouth, looking at me.
"You're staring, Lover Boy."
"Haha," He said, shooting me a sarcastic smile.
I laughed and looked outside again, only to see my mothers car parked out front.
"Shit," I mumbled before turning around to see if she had come in yet.
Jughead heard me and looked up from his fries. "What's wrong?"
I got up, thinking I could possibly sneak out the back but bell chimed and I knew I was too late.
"Elizabeth Cooper!" I heard my mother say angrily.
I cringed at her use of my full name and turned around to face her.
She stomped towards me before lowering her voice and telling me how I was ruining the family image with my 'sneaking out'.
"Mom, you let me out of the house." I said, clenching my hands into fists.
"To go to your cousin's! Which, I called Penelope, you did not go to! I did not let you out to be..." She had only just now noticed Jughead and the jacket, "whoring around with some loner, abandoned by his own parents, Lodge kid!" She practically spat at Jughead.
Jughead stood up, moving towards her, but I put my hand on his arm, stopping him.
"Mom, that's enough. I'll come home with you, just leave him out of it! We're in public for Christ's sake!"
She grabbed my hand and led me outside to her car. Once we got in she locked the doors and started yelling again.
"I raised you better than this! I did not raise you to grow up like your sister, that's for sure! Are you sleeping with that boy? Don't you go getting pregnant like your failure of a sister, Polly!" She yelled, pulling out of the parking lot.
I wanted to fight back, I wanted to scream at her. I wanted to yell that Polly wasn't a failure and that the twins were a blessing in disguise because she got to get out of this hellhole of a town, but I stayed quiet. My eyes watered up and I curled my fingers into my hands, willing them to take away all of the pain in my heart.